Pato O’Ward is expected to sign an extension with Arrow McLaren SP that will keep the two-time NTT IndyCar Series race winner with the Chevy-powered team through the halfway point of the decade.

RACER has learned the teams that were on the young Mexican’s radar for a possible move in the near future have been informed he is no longer available and that he is primed to stay with AMSP in the No. 5 AMSP entry.

It’s believed O’Ward is currently under contract through 2024 and the new extension would keep him within the team where McLaren Racing holds a 75-percent ownership stake and Sam Schmidt and Ric Peterson hold the remainder through at least 2025.

McLaren would not be drawn on specifics but a team spokesperson told RACER, “Pato is a talented, exciting racer and (a) key part of the Arrow McLaren SP team.”

With O’Ward set to depart IndyCar’s silly season, the attention turns to the deep free agent pool that contains A.J. Foyt Racing’s Kyle Kirkwood, AMSP’s Felix Rosenqvist, Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay, Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Callum Ilott and Meyer Shank Racing’s Helio Castroneves.